The best way to start the day

Author: Margie

You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.

– Mary Pickford

I seem to never think about it before the time, but I love the 1st of September – it’s Spring Day and that day always symbolises a fresh start to me.

It’s almost like New Year’s day, but without the new year’s resolutions. At the beginning of the year, one is full of good intentions, loads of things you are, and of course are not, going to do. But if we are honest, most of that doesn’t last.

Spring day is different. To me it’s when I take a deep breath and look back on it being one hell of a stressful, hectic, busy year so far. And yes, every year is the same, because that is how life is. On this day, instead of beating myself up over the things I have either not done, or have done when maybe I shouldn’t have, I think of the positive, the things that did work out, the successes, the good to be alive moments.

Maybe it’s the symbolic thing of being the end of winter, (there will be a few more cold days, there always are and it always catches us, the sneaky thing) when the mood lifts with the weather, maybe it’s because the talk moves to how many weeks until the end of the year. I guess it could be different things to different people.

All I know is, I feel like it’s my new beginning and so to you, may you have a happy spring day and a fresh start.

Until next time, take care and be good to yourself first and then to others.

The picture is my computer screensaver and some mornings I wonder “Why? What is this change stuff all about? I’ve changed, why is …. (fill in the blanks of that particular moment that is annoying/affecting me) this happening?”

This morning I got it. Change must be constant, every single moment of every day. It made me think of a car.

Travelling along a straight road – even with no ups or downs – if you take your foot off the accelerator the car will eventually stop. Forget about going up a hill, but downhill, hey, that’s easy but best you be buckled up.

Most people are travelling along the road of life, nicely within the speed limit. Using all the roads that are mainly level, the odd bit of a hill here and there and occasionally encountering a downhill.

The whiners of the world, those high maintenance people that suck the very life out of you are the ones that ride in third gear and the windgat ones push the speed limit and love bragging about it.

But the ones that get the most of out of this road called life are those that keep their cars well maintained, they don’t strain the gearbox and they don’t take unnecessary risks. They glance in the rear-view mirror, they don’t stare at it and they keep their eyes on the road. They pay attention to things that are good for their cars, and they hang out with other car enthusiasts, not people who don’t like cars or can’t drive – or get carsick!

There have been some challenging times for me, when that screensaver comes on and I think what else am I supposed to do to change. As I said – change must be constant to be effective. Every day, the way you react to events, to people, gives you an opportunity to change. You get to choose whether that change is going to be a trip down the hill or up.